The Thaw had begun.
The archdemon was dead, and the darkspawn horde fled into the wilds, cast into disarray. The Hero of Ferelden took her place as Warden-Commander in Amaranthine, and soon after defeated another darkspawn threat in the form of The Architect. Speaking darkspawn disappeared, and Ferelden was finally at peace. Or so it seemed.
The year after the end of the Fifth Blight began with unease. Darkspawn sightings spiked, and caravans went missing not just in Ferelden, but all over Thedas. Followers of the Chantry whispered about the Maker's wrath, and another Blight, while people in the countryside began arming themselves against the unknown. The Ferelden Wardens were too few in number to even begin to face the menace at hand.
So Warden-Commander Brosca sent letters to the corners of the map, asking for help from fellow Wardens, and for new recruits to replenish the people lost in the Assault on Amaranthine.
Amaranthine became a crossroads, the place of many meetings, and a series of strange newcomers traveled towards it, called to duty and adventure.